Target for small-arms practice



C. FENTON. TARGET FOR SMALL ARMS PRACTICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, I920.

1,41 5,823; Patented May 9, 1922.

r 1 V l y l 0 all whom at may concern 'Becltv known that-I, GEL/1L3,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,cncrL reunion, or nnooron, ENGLAND.

,T A RG ET SMALL-ARMS PRACTICE.

e ase Application filed July 7,

, FnNToN, a subect ofthe-Kmg of Great Britain, and residngntThei Uplands, Brocton, in thecounty of Stafi'ord,England, have invented certain new and usel'ullmprovements in Targets for :SmalhArms Practice, of whlch the ctollou Jug 1sa-specificat1on,

This invention relates to targets for small arms practice and consists, asbroadiy stated,

in a plurality oi? target platesof which only one is exposed at aitime, and when struck position following upon the disappearance of the target plate whichhas been struck,

a bulletdisappears, another of the target tes automatically moving into its exposed and there being a constant succession of disappearances and exposures in this manner so a long as each target plate which 20 is exposed is struck by a bullet.

The target plates are mounted to be capable of turning about afixed axis, and when one target plate is struck by abullet, the

target plates turn together about the axis,

the one which has been struck disappearing and. another then coming into the exposed ,POSltlOItzHltl remaining therein until struck,

and so on continuously.

Aconven ent practical application 01' the invention is described by reference to the drawings herewith, of which igure 1 is a side elevation oi a target constructed and operating according to th s invention, with the nearer standard re moved; and

Figure 2 is a section taken in the planes indicated by the irregular line 2. 2. of Figure 1.

Three target plates A, each of which constitutes a target proper, and may be of any desired shape such, for instance, as representing, or roughly so, a human form, are fixed to the outer ends of arms A 0011- veniently of wood, which are fixed at their inner ends to a nave or boss B which turns about a fixed axis which is carried in the upper ends of standards C which are supported upon a bed D. Three fingers E project from the nave Bin a plane which is at one side of the path in which the target plates A turn and are arranged to be opposite to the spaces, respectively, ich lie between the arms A An invertdil T-lever F, having an upward arm f and normally horizontal arms f, is pivoted at f to one of the standards C, and the arms f are engaged, respectively, with the inner ends of springs Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 394,589.

G whichare connected atltheir outer ends with eye-pieces h which are rigid with av bar H which is fixed to thesame standard." If a target plate A, which at the time stands up vertically, is struck by a bullet, itturnsthe set of arms A in a backward direction of rotation, that isto say in the direction of the arrow c, the force of the impact causing a "finger E, which, at, the moment of striking was against one side of the upper end of the arm ol:' the T-lever F, to turn the lever, against the force of the springs Gr, sufficiently to allow ittoctree itself'from the end of the arm, after Whichthe arm is turnedback again by the reaction of the springs, and this movement of rotation continues until the next succeeding finger E comes against the side of the upper end of the arm 7 and turns such arm to alimited extent against the force of the springs G. v

by the springs G. lVhen a finger E has come to rest against a side of the arm f another of the target plates is up in its exposed position for being hit by abullet.

There would be a tendency, however, that each finger E would be back from the arm f whenthe arm had come to, rest, and to en sure that the finger will remain close to the arm f, pending the exposed target plate being struck by a bullet, a spring pawl f is pivotally connected with the arm f, which, as a finger is nearing the arm f is depressed by the finger, against the force of a spring i which is connected at one end with the lower portion of the T-lever F and at the other end with a tail of the pawl, and as the finger comes against the arm f the pawl rises up behind it and prevents it moving back in relation to the arm.

The lever F is prevented from moving back sulliciently to release the pawl from the linger E in reacting after being struck by a finger and is quickly brought to rest, by a spring buffer K which is pressed upon by one of the arms 7 as the lever turns backwards after it has been turned by a finger. The buffer K comprises a cylindriframe of triangular construction.

The-nave B is shown to be carried by a socket Z2 which is provided with ball bearings .and revolves upon a fixed axle b.

Each standard C is shown as formed as plateiwhich is strengthened by a slanted rod. 0.

d is a platelwhioh is slanted up from the bed-plate D to form a shield which prevents the apparatus being injured by a stray bullet, and d. is a plate which may be adjusted in relation to the plate d, to adjust the effective height of the shield.

, Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A target. for small arms practice, comprising a plurality of target plates, a structure mounted upon a pivot axis and carrying such plates, and means which ensure that when one of the plates is in position and is struck by a bullet, the structure is caused to turn through such an angle only that the next following plate is brought into position, the first mentioned target plate pass ing out of sight.

I 2. A target for small arms practice, comprising a plurality of target plates, a structure mounted upon a pivot axis and carry- 'lng such plates, a pro ection on said structure and amoveable abutment with which said projection is adapted to engage to limit the turning movement whereby when one of the plates is in position and is struck by a V bullet said abutment permits the structure to turn through such an angle that the said plate passes out of slght and thc next follOWIH alate 1s brou ht into )ositiou. a l a 3. A tar et for small arms iractlce comprising a plurality of target plates, at strucr ture mounted upon a pivot axis and carrying such plates, a projection on said structure abutment permits the structure to turn through such an angle that said plate passes out oi sight and the next following plate is brought accurately into position.

4. A target for small arms practice, c0111- prising a plurality of target plates, a structure mounted upon a pivot axis and carrying such plates, a projection on said structure and a spring supported abutment with which said projection is adapted to engage but which is capable of yielding under the impact caused by a bullet striking a plate allowing the projection to pass out of engagement, and a spring pawl with which the projection interlatches as it nearly approaches the abutment whereby, when one of the plates is in position and is struck by a bullet said abutment permits the structure to turn through such an angle that said plate passes out of sight and the next following plate is brought accurately into position, and prevented from turning back in relation to the abutment.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 14th day of June, 1920, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CECIL FENTON.

Witnesses THOMAS GIBSON, FRANK A. HUGHES. 

